Silence
by Bailey Michelle
Summary: Evie doesn't talk. To anyone. Ever. That night, she screamed and it cost them their lives. She vowed never to speak again. When she's imprinted on by a sweet, Greek-God like wolf boy, will he be able to heal her or will she remain silent? Embry/OC
1. Prologue

Prologue

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

_A loud banging noise jolted me awake from my dream. I wasn't too upset about being woken up, I had been having one of those dreams where you show up to school and no one can see or hear you, but I was tired and I had a test the next day. I opened my eyes and only saw the darkness of my room, exactly the same as when I'd fallen asleep. I sat up, still tired and dazed, and propped my hands behind me leaning back. I sighed, absentmindedly wondering what had woken me. _

_The banging had stopped, and at first I thought that I had made it up, but then I strained trying to hear if there was anything else. Initially, I heard only an eerie silence. The kind like you hear in the forest just before a huge storm or in a classroom right before a teacher starts yelling at you for not paying attention. Then, I heard the quiet and deliberate sound of footsteps. Footsteps from someone trying to be quiet, but they just couldn't quite do it. Thinking it was my older sister sneaking back in from some party she wasn't supposed to go to, I hopped out of bed. I hoped to catch Maddie in the act of breaking the rules so I could blackmail her into keeping my F in math a secret from our parents._

_I slowly opened my door and peered into the dark hallway. My eyes eventually adjusted to the lack of decent lighting and I noticed a hulking figure standing in the open door of my parents' room. Definitely _not_ my sister. I screamed. The shrill sound piercing the quiet of the house. It was so loud that I could've sworn everyone in the neighborhood heard it. They would be alarmed at the sharp noise that awoke them at first, but then when they realized where the scream came from they would dismiss it. It wouldn't have been the first time I screamed. I got scared pretty easily. But I could tell the difference from those previous scared, slightly annoyed but playful screams as opposed to this one that was primal and full of pure terror. There was a _man_ standing there looking at my parents while they slept. _

_No, he wasn't looking at them anymore. He had turned around, probably when I screamed, and was staring directly at me, a disgusting smirk plastered to his face. Before I could even catch my breath to release another scream, the man had crossed the few steps of the hall to me. He was inches away from me, his face rough-looking and covered with scruffy dark hair from not shaving for some time._

_My breath caught in my throat and my next scream was much quieter and came out sounding slightly choked. The man raised his right hand a few inches and I noticed a small glint of silver. A knife. I let out a final dismayed scream before the man plunged the knife into the soft flesh in my stomach. A searing pain shocked through the area he had stabbed and multiplied when he started dragging the knife down, making a long line of agonizing pain. I had previously thought I knew pain. I was wrong. Falling off of my bike when I was seven and scraping my knees so badly on our gravel sidewalk that they were covered in crimson blood was nothing. Breaking my collar bone falling from a tree when I was twelve, nothing. That pain didn't even compare._

_A dark red liquid seeped through the white fabric of my nightshirt causing my vision to blur. I felt myself swaying on my feet unsteadily. I had never handled blood well; add that onto the pain in my stomach and it was a miracle I was still upright. Just before the darkness at the corners of my vision crept in and threatened to make me completely blind, I saw my dad's familiar face twisted in rage come up behind the man and hit him._

_My mother, looking horrified, clutched Maddie's arm tightly as they huddled against the wall, my mom with a phone pressed to her ear. Her mouthed moved, so she must've been talking to someone, but I didn't hear her words. My muscles were tired of keeping me standing, so I slid down onto the ground. I rested my cheek against the cool hardwood floor, silently praying that this was just a dream. _

_I watched stunned and waveringly from the ground as the man killed my sister and my parents. He slit their throats with the knife he had stabbed me with. Of course they fought and yelled, but he was stronger and they were still slow with sleep. They didn't stand a chance. I watched the scene from my spot on the floor, it seemed far away and unreal to me, like it was a movie and had no relation to my real life. Like I could push a small red button and make the whole thing disappear. _

_Once he'd finished with my family, the man looked over at me with a malicious grin on his face. I guess I must have looked dead, I sure _felt_ dead, because he turned around and left through the front door. He left it hanging open. For some reason, my only fear was that the house would get cold if no one closed the door._

_A few hours later, or maybe it was seconds or years, I heard a distant ringing sound. And people talking. That bothered me; they might wake up my parents and Maddie if they didn't get quieter. Then the ringing got louder and I noticed it as sirens. Police? Ambulances? Fire trucks? The talking got louder as well, and then several people wearing matching white clothes trampled in though the door. They carried a thing that looked like a portable bed, a stretcher maybe. I think that's what they had called it on that doctor show my mom watched. Why would they bring that here? Why were they in my house at all? A person ran over to my mom. She was pale and lolled on the floor in an uncomfortable looking position, and her shirt was covered with red. Oh, that was her favorite shirt; hopefully the red stuff wouldn't stain. "Dead." The person in white said, sounding sad. He was wrong. My mother wasn't dead. She was just sleeping. On the floor. With blood covering her neck. _

_The person went over to my dad, who was in a similar position as my mother with his head tilted back revealing the mark on his throat. "No pulse, not breathing." _

_The person made their way over to my sister where she was slumped limply against the wall, the tips of her blonde hair covered in her own blood. "She's gone, too." _

_Then he came over to me and pressed his gloved hand against my wrist. His gloomy face brightened slightly for some reason. "This one still has a pulse. Get me a stretcher." His emerald colored eyes looked at me, "It's going to be okay, I promise. We'll get you all fixed up." Fixed up? I was fine. I didn't need any fixing. The green-eyed man seemed very nice, but he was talking like a crazy person._

_Then I finally allowed my heavy eyelids to close, despite the nagging in the back of my mind that something was horribly wrong and the nearly unbearable pain in my stomach._

That was last month. Four weeks and nine days ago I had lost my parents and my sister. And it was all because I screamed. Maybe if I had stayed asleep the man would've just left. Maybe he would have only hurt me if I had just stayed quiet and my family hadn't come to see what was wrong. It was my fault that they died. It was entirely my fault, yet I was the only one who lived. I survived and they didn't. The doctors at the hospital had asked me what had happened, I stayed silent. The police asked, I remained quiet. Therapists and grief counselors tried to get me to open up about my feelings, my mouth stayed sealed. I made a vow, the day I realized with horror exactly what had happened, that I would not make things worse by speaking again.

Now, I was in an orphanage with other kids who had been through 'traumatic events' and who were 'damaged'. That's what adults said anyways, but in my silence I became good at listening and reading between the lines. What they really meant was 'poor messed up kids that are too screwed up for anyone to want.'

This is why everyone, including me, was surprised when a kind looking man appeared and claimed he was my uncle and wanted to take care of me. My dad's brother. He had paperwork to prove his identity, and eventually I was in his car, my stuff in the back, on the way to his house in Forks, Washington.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I only own Evie and the plot.

Author's Note: Okay, I was rereading through this story and it felt juvenile and was full of mistakes. I feel like my writing has improved a lot since I started this, so I'm going to try and revamp this and get it up to what I feel it should be. Thanks for reading and please review.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

It was pouring. Everything was drenched in the glinting, silvery liquid that is rain. The road had pools that reflected the image of the gray sky above like mirrors. Staring into the puddles as I passed became dizzying; it was hard to tell the real sky apart from the replicated version. The windows of the houses that flew by in colorless blurs were streaked with tears. Almost as if they felt my pain. I shifted my gaze to the burly man who claimed to be my uncle.

His name was David. David Summers. My dad's brother. I had only heard of him in passing and whenever anyone brought his name up my dad would promptly change the subject. Apparently, my dad and David had gotten into a pretty intense argument about a year or so before I was born. They hadn't spoken to each other since. I could see in David's eyes that he regretted that. He just wanted to talk to his brother again. He no longer cared about whatever had been so important that they'd stopped talking because of it. But the bridge between the two brothers would never be mended. Because one of them was dead. Because of me.

David looked at me expectantly for a moment before raising his eyebrows and turning back to the road. He'd been informed that I never spoke, but he still appeared as if he expected me to strike up a conversation. In the over-a-month that I had stayed absolutely quiet, I had gotten fairly good at reading people. And the look on my uncle's face said that he was in over his head. He had no idea what to do with his dead brother's self-imposed mute daughter. I couldn't blame him.

I turned in my seat and looked back out my window. Numerous dark brown trees covered with damp leaves and thick moss blurred past, and through the few gaps in the trees I thought I could see a sandy color cut through with deep blue. The beach. My sister and I used to love going to the beach. _Used to_ being the operative words there.

I remember once, when she was nine and I was seven, our parents took us to the beach close to where we lived. As soon as we got there we dropped our stuff onto the sand and pretended like the hot sand was lava and if we touched it we would burn up. I always lost. But I had enjoyed every minute of that day. Afterwards, we got ice cream. I got strawberry and she got chocolate.

I was pulled from my thoughts by David sighing. I looked over at him and noticed for the first time that the car had stopped. We were in front of a fairly small house that was painted all white except for the door which was a bright red. Homey. Not nearly as nice as the house I had lived in with my family. That hadn't been huge either, but it had been ours and that was all it took to make it seem better. As always when I thought of anything related to my family, my eyes got watery and it felt like there was an added weight in my chest. I kept my gaze locked on the window, refusing to let David see me so upset for no apparent reason. He already had enough on his plate without dealing with a sobbing girl.

"I'm gonna go on inside. You come in whenever you're ready. I'll come back out to get your things later." He said before getting out of the car and going inside the house. He walked quickly as if he couldn't get away from me and the awkward atmosphere of the car fast enough.

I don't know how long I sat in the car, but by the time I went inside I had long since wiped the tears from my eyes and calmed my breathing. My appearance wouldn't fool anyone, it never did, but it was all I could do.

When I stepped through the red door, I was instantly cold. The house was at least ten degrees colder than it was outside, and I still had to wear a jacket to be comfortable outside. I rubbed my arms with my hands in an attempt to warm myself up. I scanned the room. From where I stood, I could see the living room, the kitchen, and a flight of stairs that probably let to the bedrooms. "Hi! I'm David's wife, Meagan. I'm so sorry to hear about you parents and your sister. Want me to show you to your room?" A woman around thirty asked. She had shoulder-length brown hair that she died a reddish color. Her roots were annoyingly visible. I didn't know why, but little things like that always caught my attention and nagged at me.

The way that she mentioned my family, in a passing manor as if she only said anything about them because she felt obligated to not because she was actually sorry, made my teeth clench together and my eyes narrow slightly. Meagan obviously knew I wouldn't answer, because she grabbed my wrist with her hand and tugged me along behind her as she walked up the stairs. She led me down a hallway and stopped just outside of the door at the end. "Voila!" She said with a dramatic hand gesture as she opened the door.

The room was small, but the furniture was arranged so that there was still plenty of space in the center. There was a full sized bed pushed up against the furthest right corner and just to the left of it was a window covered with sheer white curtains. The walls were painted white along with the bookshelf and the bedside table. The carpet was white and the pillows and blankets on the bed were as well. Just above the bookshelf was an oval shaped mirror. Overall, the room was impersonal and I knew that even after all of my stuff had been brought in, it would stay that way. Meagan looked at me waiting to see if I liked the room, and I gave her a small smile. I knew that it was pathetic and clearly forced, but it was all I could manage. She accepted it without hesitation.

Meagan returned my feeble smile with a bright one of her own, before turning and walking back down the hallway. Just as she was about to go down the stairs, she turned back and called to me. "Hey, Evelina, I know you're probably tired, but the people at the orphanage called and said you have therapy every Wednesday at six. And it will be six in about forty minutes, so I'll have David bring your stuff up so you can get dressed."

I cringed. Not only did I hate being called _Evelina_, but I also hated going to therapy. The lady who was assigned to me was, of course, always trying to get me to talk about my feelings. She constantly said that it was okay to be sad and miss them. What she didn't understand, was that it was all my fault that they were gone. "Here's your stuff." David said, dropping my three suitcases on the floor. I nodded my appreciation and he closed the door behind him when he left. For a few minutes I rummaged through my suitcases looking for the one with my clothes. I didn't really care what I wore, it didn't matter what people thought of me or my appearance, so I settled on a pair of jeans I had used when we were painting self-portraits in art last year and a plain white sweater. After getting dressed and slipping on my black flip-flops I headed downstairs. Meagan was waiting for me and when she saw me she smiled. That woman smiled far too much. And she had lipstick on her teeth. Someone should tell her.

"I have to pick up a few things from the grocery store, so I'll drop you off and pick you up afterwards. One session is an hour right?" She said grabbing her keys and heading to the car. I nodded and got into the passenger seat.

"Hello, Miss Summers." The elderly lady with an overly cheerful smile said as I sat down on a worn leather couch, not unlike the countless other couches at other therapist's offices, "How are you today?"

I sat there without speaking as always. I looked fixatedly at the small thread that was loose on my sleeve. I twirled it around my finger and pulled on it and it only became longer, never tearing off like I wanted it to. That was irritating.

The woman, Mrs. Andrews I think her name was, sighed exasperatedly. "Evelina, I know you are still upset over the sudden death of your family, but completely cutting yourself off from everyone isn't healthy."

I met her gaze, not making any expression.

Another sigh. "That is why I have asked Leah, another of my patients, to befriend you. I think you two will be able to help each other. I can't tell you about her situation, but she can and hopefully you can tell her about yours. It's an unusual method of healing, but I think it will work wonders for the two of you."

I didn't say a word.

"Leah, you can come in now." Mrs. Andrews called louder than she had been speaking before.

The door opened and a girl with short black hair walked in. She had smooth tan skin, and would've been extremely pretty if her dark eyes didn't look so sorrowful. She looked like she'd gone through emotional Hell. I could empathize. "Hi Evelina. I'm Leah." She said attempting a smile but accomplishing a grimace. It was obvious she didn't want to be there. Again, I could empathize.

I gave her a small twist of my wrist that passed as a wave. "Now that you two are acquainted, go out and socialize with each other."

About twenty minutes later, Leah and I sat in the sand looking at the ocean. I pushed away the fond memories of my sister and me at the beach, not willing to cry in front of a girl as tough as Leah. We didn't talk to each other. Me, for obvious reasons, Leah because she thought the idea of a 'therapy buddy' was stupid. She wasn't wrong about that. How was pairing up two strangers with problems going to help anyone?

Leah let out a deep breath. "Okay, so if we hang out, we get Andrews off our backs. So…how about you come with me to a party tonight?" I knew she was only inviting me because she felt as if she had too, but the thought was still shocking. I'd never really been to a party. That was more Maddie's territory that mine. Maddie would've accepted the invitation with arms wide open and then taken hours in her room making herself look perfect. Then she would come home late and tell me all about it. But Maddie was dead.

I thought about it for a moment. If I went I wouldn't actually have to do anything, just sit in a corner and pretend I wasn't there, and Mrs. Andrews would find out from Leah that I went and she would be pleased enough to leave me alone for a little while. Sounded good to me. I turned to Leah and nodded.

"Cool." She said smiling but still looking sad. I wondered if she was always sad for the same reason she was in therapy. Even if I did talk, I wouldn't have asked her that though. I knew enough about personal things to know better. "I'll meet you back here in an hour, okay? Then we'll walk over to the party, it's pretty close to here." I nodded again before heading back to where Meagan had agreed to pick me up.

She would be pleased that I was going to a party too. If I ever told her about it. Which I wouldn't.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

After waving my goodbyes to David and Meagan, I left. They'd asked where I was going and I ignored them. They didn't press the issue because they honestly didn't care where I went. They were just happy I wasn't crying up in my room. I made my way to the beach where Leah had told me to meet her, silently praying that I wouldn't get lost. I was terrible with remembering how to get somewhere. My memory was shaky at best. I didn't get lost.

"Hey." Leah said. She didn't expect and answer. She didn't get one either. In the short time that Leah and I had known each other, she had learned that I didn't talk and she didn't push it. I got a feeling she liked being around someone without being required to make artificially pleasant conversation. We walked side by side in complete silence to her friend's house where the party was being held.

As Leah had promised, the walk was short. We arrived at a house after only a few minutes of walking. I followed behind Leah as she walked up a few stone steps and through a glass door. She didn't bother knocking. It was clear that she was close enough with the hosts of the affair that it was unnecessary to announce her presence. I could tell, however, by the way her walk became more stilted and her shoulders tensed up that she was uncomfortable. I couldn't guess why.

We walked into a brightly lit room with quite a few people inside. Instantly I became nervous. Surely with so many people around someone would notice that I didn't say a word. Hopefully no one would ask why. Observing the people I assumed to be Leah's friends, my self-esteem dropped. Why were they all so gorgeous? It seemed unfair that this group of friends, who acted more like a family from what I had gathered in the short amount of time that I'd been there, were all so painfully attractive. Every male was huge, muscular, and tan. They reminded me of Greek Gods. Flawless. A small girl who sat in the lap of the closest Greek God had sleek black hair and the perfect smile. She looked like the epitome of happiness when the Greek God kissed the side of her neck. A woman who looked to be around twenty stood in the kitchen. She, too, was beautiful. Even with the long scars marring the tan skin along her cheek and jaw.

Standing in such close proximity to all of those beautiful people, all brimming with joy, made me feel like a pale, lifeless version of a person. Like some talentless man trying to recreate the work of Picasso.

"Hey, everyone." Leah said loudly, making me wince from my place beside her, "This is my therapy buddy, Evelina. We have to hang out so that Mrs.-Pushy-Andrews will leave us alone. Evelina, this is Paul, Jared, Kim, and Embry, my little brother Seth, Quil, Sam, and Emily." She said the last two names slower and more quietly than the others, and I noticed how her voice got harder. Did she not like them? They seemed nice from the way they were smiling at her.

I gave everyone a wave, for once being brave and meeting each pair of curious eyes instead of staring at my shoes. When I met the eyes of one Greek God, the only form of greeting besides a wave I ever gave, his once politely interested expression transformed into one of intense adoration. Honestly, at first I thought he was looking at Leah, but when I turned around she was already across the room sitting in a chair by herself.

I turned back to face the Greek God, who was still looking at me feverishly, and noticed that everyone else in the room was looking at him with pleased smiles on their faces. Like they'd been waiting for this moment, and were glad for their friend. They all had a secret that I wasn't in on. Shaking off the weird prickling feeling I got when I looked at the gorgeous man-boy, I stuck to my original plan and found a chair near the wall and sat down. I was distanced from everyone else, and that was the way I liked it. No one asking me questions I wouldn't answer, no one having a conversation with someone who wouldn't talk back. Solitude was much preferable.

My preferred isolation didn't last long, however. Soon, someone pulled a chair up beside me much closer than I felt comfortable with. "Hello." A deep voice asked from right next to me. It was the man-boy. "I'm Embry."

I turned my head and saw him grinning at me. I gave him my pitiful smile, but predictably stayed silent.

"What?" He said, laughing, "Not going to say hi back?"

I lifted my hand and wriggled my fingers. Embry smiled again. I couldn't understand why he was so _happy_. He continued talking to me, and my not responding began to make the one-sided conversation awkward. Thankfully, Leah chose that moment to leave her own isolation and come over to us. "She doesn't talk." She told Embry matter-of-factly.

Embry's face twisted up in confusion and worry. "Ever? Why?"

Leah shook her head. "Never. At least, not since I've known her and she never talks to Mrs. Andrews. And I don't know why. Maybe that's why she's in therapy."

Embry looked over at me even more concerned than he had been before. He surprised me by taking my hand in his, which was extremely warm, and tugging gently on my arm leading me to the door. My curiosity won out over my slight fear of the large boy, and I followed a few steps behind him. We walked for a while, Embry looking back at me every few seconds to somehow reassure himself of something.

After a while, Embry stopped and I followed his example. We were back at the beach, and images and memories of my sister and I flooded my brain.

"_Evie! Come play with me!"_

I couldn't help it. Tears stung in my eyes and I turned my head away from Embry so he wouldn't see.

_Maddie and I exchanged ice cream cones, taking turns tasting each flavor. My fingers were sticky and the sand was hot underneath my bare feet. She had chocolate smeared on her cheek, and when she saw me laughing at her she stuck her tongue out and began running towards the water. I giggled and chased clumsily after her, my feet making small prints in the scalding sand._

"Evelina?" A husky voice asked fearfully in my ear. He pulled me from my thoughts, but the flow of tears didn't stop. I couldn't stop seeing my sister's long blonde hair and cheerful blue eyes crinkling when she laughed. I couldn't stop seeing my parents sitting on a towel looking at us and making funny faces just to see us smile.

"Evelina, please." He said, pleading with me for something, I wasn't sure exactly what. Even though this beach was dark, cold, and damp, in my head I was miles away at a beach in California where it was bright and nearly unbearably hot. The bottoms of my feet felt as if they were on fire despite my sandals and the fact that the sand I stood on wasn't even the slightest bit warm. I was feeling that _other_ sand. The past sand. The happy sand.

A pair of strong, warm arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me to his chest which was equally warm and muscular. The close proximity unsettled me, but the abundant amount of tears pouring from my eyes blurred my vision and made it nearly impossible for me to pull away. His presence, despite my only knowing him for about half an hour, was oddly comforting. It almost felt like I was _supposed_ to be close to him. Like there was a string connecting him to me and the further away from him I got, the tighter the sting pulled. I missed my parents and Maddie so bad I felt a physical pain in my chest.

Suddenly, I was exhausted. Every muscle in my body just wanted to give out. I wanted to collapse and lie on the wet sand and just sleep. Sleep until I dreamed that my family was alive and I hadn't caused them to be murdered. I leaned my head against Embry's chest, allowing at least some of my tense muscles to relax. The tears kept flowing freely, and now my body was shaking with sobs. They were silent for I refused to allow the noise to escape any farther than my throat. Not after the last time I made a noise, I couldn't screw everything up again. I couldn't handle it.

"Shh. Shh. Shh." He said softly, his lips inches away from my ear. We stood there, his arms wrapped around me pulling me tightly to him and me sobbing soundlessly into his chest for quite some time. Eventually, the tears slowed and I wiped the remaining ones from my eyes and separated myself from Embry. He seemed somewhat reluctant to let me go, but I was persistent. Once I was a few feet away from him, I smiled thankfully before turning and walking back down the beach towards David and Meagan's house.

I had only taken about two steps before Embry was at my side again, walking beside me. He didn't say anything, he just kept pace with me despite the fact that his legs were much longer and he could easily walk much faster than me. His arm brushed against mine a few times and each time I didn't want to move away, but I did. He was so warm, and the night had quickly gotten chilly.

I shook my head. I was being crazy. My being around people, anyone not just Embry specifically, for extended periods of time wasn't smart. I just caused trouble. No, I wasn't so crazy as to think that by spending time with Embry I would eventually cause his death, but still being around people wasn't good. Not only was I worried that something bad would happen, but I was also worried that I would become attached to people, make friends, and they would be taken away from me somehow.

As I was consumed by those thoughts, I didn't notice when we stopped outside of David and Meagan's house. Embry pulled my back to reality by resting his warm hand softly on my shoulder. "You okay? Better anyways?" He asked his voice low and soothing.

A paused for a moment, not wanting to lie to him, before deciding on my answer. I nodded and shot him my signature weak smile. His apprehensive and concerned expression didn't relax, and my smile obviously didn't assure him as much as I'd hoped. I quickly wrapped my arms his broad shoulders and gave him a slight squeeze that passed as a hug before releasing him and waving goodbye. I was about to turn and head inside the house, still exhausted and prepared to collapse and sleep for hours, when Embry gently spun me around and gave me a peck on the cheek. I smiled at him and waved goodbye again before going inside. As soon as I shut the door, the pinch of happiness and peace that Embry had given me vanished and I was once again left alone with my memories and guilt.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

I trudged up the stairs, ignoring the questions from Meagan and David. They knew I wouldn't answer, so why did they insist on talking to me? It made me feel a little bad, brushing them off and pretending that I didn't hear them when they talked to me. Not just my aunt and uncle, but everyone. People talked to me, and I ignored them.

I plopped down onto the white bed, covering myself with the thick comforter. It was made with material that made a somewhat scratchy noise when I rubbed my hand across it. I burrowed under the comforter and the matching sheets, covering my head with a pillow and turning my head to the side so that I could breathe. Sleeping like that had become a habit of mine since _that night_, I was afraid that if I could hear what was going on around me that there would be a repeat of that night. As I allowed my heavy eyelids to close, flashes of my family lying crumpled on the ground plastered themselves to the inside of my eyelids. I whimpered. That happened nearly every single time I let my eyes close for more than a moment.

_Evie, you're fine_. I tried to reassure myself, but I failed miserably. I curled up into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible underneath my mound of pillows and blankets. Somehow, even underneath all of that I was still cold enough that I was shivering. It was all in my head, I knew, but I was still cold nonetheless. _Evie, come play with me. _I whimpered again. Maddie's voice, childlike and giggly, echoed around in my head. She was so happy. But I took that away from her. She would never go to another party again. She would never sit cross legged on my bed and brush my damp hair, making joking comments about how tangled it was. She would never come home late and regale me tales about her wonderful night with her boyfriend. All because I screamed.

With those morose thoughts reverberating around in my brain, I fell into a fitful sleep. I never slept soundly anymore. I couldn't remember the last time I had gone to sleep and actually woken up feeling rested.

_Footsteps. Heavy footsteps. I crept into the hall, searching for the source of the noises I heard. I saw no one. I tip-toed past the door to my parents' room and quietly pushed open my sister's door. I saw a lump underneath her floral printed blankets and smiled, she had made it back from the party. Usually when she got back, she would come into my room and tell me all about it. How Britney had broken up with Mike, how the police had shown up and arrested Garret, how much fun she had had. But this time she hadn't. I slid my feet across her shaggy, cream colored carpet and stood beside her bed. I lifted my hand and pulled back the blankets, expecting to see my sister's face and blonde hair, instead seeing a man smiling a sickening grin at me. I jumped back and opened my mouth to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. The sharp feeling of panic climbed up my spine. I was bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet and shaking my hands frantically, my mouth wide open with no sound coming out. The man got off of my sister's bed. He was tall and bulky. He grinned at me, revealing his crooked teeth. He lifted his hand to show me something, but I couldn't make out what it was in the darkness of the room. He stepped closer to me and into the crack of light from the door that I left slightly open. A glint of metal. A knife. I opened my mouth wider, but still no scream sounded in the room. It was dead quiet. Like watching TV with the sound muted. I couldn't scream. He plunged the knife into my stomach making me double over in pain. He smiled wider, enjoying my display of pain. He was sickening. Then he was gone. I looked around, but he was nowhere. I looked down at my stomach and lifted my tank-top, expecting a bloody mess but seeing an almost healed looking scar, running from just underneath my breasts to my bellybutton. I ran my hand over it, feeling the raised bumpiness of the line. I pulled my shirt back down and walked back out into the hallway towards my room. I stopped short. Something wasn't right. I looked down and saw my mother, her favorite shirt covered with red. I tried to scream, still no sound. I looked to the right and saw my dad, his neck marred by a lethal wound. Still no scream. A little farther down the hall, my sister looked at me with glassy, unseeing eyes. I still couldn't scream._

I shot up in bed, hot tears streaming down my face. You would think after over a month of nightmares, I would get used to them, but you would be wrong. Every night I still woke up crying, and I still felt the pit in my stomach that made me want to throw up. Every single night I was tormented by memories of that night, twisted and changed slightly only to terrify me more. I never knew exactly how it would happen, only that it would and that I would see the lifeless eyes of my parents and sister looking back at me but not seeing me. Because they were dead. Because I screamed.

The blankets now lay in a heap on the floor. No matter how I piled them on top of me, when I woke up they were always on the floor in a tangled mess. I crawled to the edge of the bed and pulled the blankets over me again; keeping my eyes open to avoid the gruesome images that I knew would appear if I allowed them to close.

Eventually, I must have fallen asleep again. Too tired to dream. But even when I was asleep, I was still haunted by grief and terror.

The next morning, I left early before Meagan and David were awake. I didn't want to deal with their happy conversations that I wasn't included in or their concerned questions that I wouldn't answer. I just didn't want to deal with people in general. I had become used to being alone, I _needed_ to be alone. But sometimes when I was by myself, I was reminded more of that night that I was when I was around other people. That was definitely one of those times. As I sat with my feet curled under me on the beach, tracing patterns with my finger in the damp sand, I remembered how my mom would sing everything as she was doing it. 'I'm washing the dishes', she would sing, cheerful even though she hated cleaning. She didn't have a very good voice, too high pitched, but I always loved listening to her anyways. Without me noticing it, a tear escaped my eye and trailed down my face until it landed on my lip. It tasted salty and somehow bitter. I wiped it away furiously. I hated crying, but recently that seemed it was all I ever did.

"Hey," A deep voice asked, quiet so as not to scare me, I think. I turned and saw Embry looking at me in that intense way of his. Adoration mixed with concern. I wiggled my fingers at him and he sat down beside me, so close that I could touch him. But I didn't. Soon, I was lost in my thoughts again, oddly comforted simply by his presence.

I remembered how my dad was obsessed with keeping our yard perfectly trimmed. How I could hear the loud hum of the lawn mower early almost every morning. And I would go outside barefoot and watch him, beaming as he pushed the heavy machine back and forth in rows along the green grass. It used to annoy me, how he would wake me up with the noise, but now I found it was just another thing I missed and desperately wished that I could get back. But I couldn't.

Sometime while I was thinking of that, Embry and scooted himself closer to me, so his arm brushed my shoulder, and he was twisting a strand of my hair around his finger. He looked at the limp hair as if it were gold. He must have felt me looking at him and he smiled at me, his wide easy smile that made me feel warm inside even though my arms were covered with goosebumps and my teeth were chattering. He saw how cold I was, even though it couldn't have been any colder than sixty degrees, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, warm and comforting. Embry smiled at me again when I didn't pull away from his embrace, and this time I smiled back. And the smile didn't even feel forced.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

It had been one week now since I met Leah and all of her friends. Out of obligation and determination to get Mrs. Andrews off of her back, Leah invited me to hang out with her and her friends often. I noticed that Embry in particular often hung fairly close to me, I wrote it off as him just being worried that I would burst into tears for no apparent reason again. And knowing me, that was a very real possibility. Because no matter where I was or what I was doing, the gruesome images from that night never ceased to haunt me. I pushed them back as often as I could, but eventually it was inevitable that I would break. I just hoped that when that moment did come, that I would at least me alone so that I could keep what little amount of pride I had left.

One morning, Leah had stopped by my house and told me to meet them at the cliffs on the beach. I didn't know how she found out where I lived, but I didn't really care. I knew she hadn't expected a response, but she just wanted me to show up so that she could tell Mrs. Andrews that we were becoming 'great friends' and the old woman would leave her alone for a little while regarding her social life. Having nothing better to do besides sulking around my room alone, I decided to go to the beach with them. I mean, it couldn't hurt anything. And if things got to difficult, I could always just leave. My house was a short walking distance from the beach. Providing that I didn't get lost, anyways.

I pulled on jeans and a plain white tank top, yanking an oversized gray hoodie over top of it. It was rainy outside, as per usual, and I didn't want to be shivering the entire time I was outside. I was always cold enough as it is, but I knew that the chill I always felt wasn't from the outside weather and that no amount of thick coats could warm me from that.

I drug my feet through the sand, clumped together from the rain that seemed to be falling in constant sheets from the sky. I held my shoes in my hand, ignoring that my feet were cold and wet as I made my way to the crowd of people around the cliffs.

Soon enough, though I will admit I have no concept of time because my thoughts often roam to memories of that night, I arrived at the tops of the cliffs, the sharp rocks digging into the soft skin of my feet. The dull pain gave me something other than the haunting images to focus my attention on. From her spot at the edge of the cliff, perched and poised in preparation to jump, Leah gave me a halfhearted wave. I had yet to figure out what had happened to her to make her so bitter and heartbroken that she had needed therapy, but I got a sense that it had something to do with Sam. She avoided him like the plague and got a hard look in her eyes whenever he was near. I raised my hand and wriggled my fingers in response, but she had already leapt from the rocks into the choppy water below.

The first time I had seen someone cliff dive, my heart had jumped up into my throat and my heart pounded. I had been scared for them, but now I only winced slightly at the sight. As I watched Leah fall gracefully into the water, I didn't notice that someone had come up to stand beside me. Even through the cotton of my sweatshirt, I could feel the heat of his skin only inches away from me. Embry.

So far, I hadn't let Embry see me cry again, though I have cried several times since then- nearly every night that I wake up from a nightmarish version of that night. Somehow, though he hadn't seen me break down again, Embry seemed to know that I wasn't alright. Whether it was my silence that gave it away, or that I just wasn't as good at making my face emotionless as I thought, I didn't know, but he always seemed to be willing to talk about whatever was upsetting me. Not that I ever did, but I did respect his thoughtfulness on the matter. It was comforting knowing that, should I choose to, I did have someone who would listen to me.

"Hey, Evelina," He said my name as if it were something special and coming from him I loved the way the awful name sounded. Though I did still flinch at being called that. I really hated that name. Embry noticed the quick flash of disgust on my face because his joking tone immediately became riddled with concern. "Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?" I shook my head; it wasn't his fault that I refused to open my mouth in order to tell people my preferred name.

"Okay. Evelina?" I flinched again. "Oh, wait. Is your name not Evelina? Leah said it was, but I don't know how she would know for sure if you never told her." I shook my head, that isn't it exactly. "Do you not like your name? Bella makes that same face whenever someone calls her Isabella. Is that it? Do you go by something else?" I nodded, my awkward smile tugging up the corners of my mouth.

"Yes, I got it!" He exclaimed giddily, as if he had won some great prize. "Do you go by…Lina?" I made a face. "I'll take that as a 'no'. Okay…Evelyn?" I vehemently shook my head; I think my great grandmother was named Evelyn. "Eve?" I shook my head. Embry looked thoughtful for a moment, considering other possible options before his face lit up with an idea. "Evie?" My sad excuse for a smile widened and I nodded my head quickly, happy that he would no longer call me _Evelina._

"Alright! Hello Evie, nice to meet you. My name is Embry Call." He said in an exaggerated accent that I think might have passed as British as he extended his hand out to me. I took his large hand in my much smaller and paler one and gave it a quick shake. I short puff of air escaped my lips, my silent form of laughter. Embry noticed and his grin widened, happy to have made some sort of progress with me. And, as small and insignificant as that puff of air may seem, for me it really was a step forward. It was the first time in over a month that I'd even come close to laughter. Embry really had made an accomplishment, whether he fully recognized it or not.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

The next day, it wasn't only drizzling like it usually was; it was pouring buckets of rain. Thunder and lightning and all. It was a loud storm, the wind made the tops of even the tallest trees swing violently, some looked like as if at any moment they could snap clean in half. Thunder storms always reminded me of my mom. She used to love them. She always told me that when the storms caused so much chaos outside, it wasn't possible for her to be anything but relaxed. The loud booming of thunder and the flashing brightness of the lightning soothed her.

In that moment, the dull aching I always felt when I thought constantly of my family was intensified and I felt a sharp stabbing in my chest. I felt pin pricks behind my eyes and my throat felt closed up, like I wouldn't be able to talk even if I tried. I not only missed my mother terribly in that moment, but I desperately _needed_ her. I needed her to brush my hair behind my ears and tell me that everything would be okay. I needed her to tell me stories about how she met my dad. I needed her to tell me that everything that had happened wasn't my fault. But that couldn't happen. None of that could. Because she was dead and it really was my fault.

The prickling feeling in my eyes gave way and hot tears fell down my cheeks. I felt the intense need to be close to my mother, and since her grave was in her hometown in northern California, I would have to make do with what I had. I ran down the stairs and made my way to the front door, glad that David and Meagan were out doing something. I wouldn't have been able to handle their probing looks. Wearing only the shorts and thin tank top I had slept in, I stood in the grass barefoot with the rain pounding down on me.

The water was cold and it hit me so hard I almost could have sworn that it was ice. The mud underneath my feet squished as I shifted my weight. Truth be told, I was extremely uncomfortable and so terribly _cold._ My body was wracked with violent shivers and my hair clung to the sides of my face, plastered there by the water. Even through my closed eyelids, I saw the blinding flash of white illuminate everything with an eerie glow for a moment. A few seconds later, a deafening boom followed, causing me to jump slightly from the noise.

I stood there for a while, the storm still raging around me. True, I was cold and wet and my muscles were stiff storm standing in the same position for so long. I was miserable. But I felt closer to my mother than I had in a while, standing there in the middle of something she would have loved. She would have loved to feel the paths the raindrops took against her skin. She would have found the cacophonous noise relaxing. I certainly didn't, we weren't alike in that way, but it made me feel fractionally better knowing that if she were alive then she might be doing the exact thing that I was doing in that moment. _If_ she were alive. But she wasn't. Because of me.

The tingling behind my eyes started up again and the hot tears mixed with the freezing rain on my face. My entire body was trembling, both with cold and the silent sobs that I was holding in. I missed my mom, despite being as close to her as I could under the circumstances. I missed my dad. I missed Maddie. I wanted them back. I wanted them to be _alive._ But that just wasn't possible, I knew that.

"Evie?" I somehow heard his rumbling voice over the storm. I feel like I'd be able to hear that voice anywhere. I didn't open my eyes, didn't turn in his direction, and didn't even bother to make my clothes stop clinging to me in a very unattractive way. I didn't make any move to show that I knew he was there. He might have been standing in front of David and Meagan's house, but I wasn't. Not really. My body was but my mind was far away.

"_Evie, honey, can you go tell you mom that diner's ready?" My dad asked while pushing the button on the stove to turn it off and pulling some unidentifiable burnt thing out. I scrunched up my nose, knowing that we would probably just order pizza tonight, but ran outside to tell my mom._

"_Momma, dinner is done. Well, if you can really call that dinner. It looks more like my fifth grade science project, really." I said with a laugh. I stood on the porch, protected from the rain that was falling heavily. My mom stood out in the yard, her eyes closed and face tilted toward the sky. She looked so serene and peaceful. When I spoke she looked over at me and smiled._

"_Yes, knowing your father we will be ordering out tonight." She said and followed me inside, her leaving a trail of wet footprints on the floor._

"Evie!" Embry said his mouth right next to my ear, his voice sounding almost frantic. It was then that I noticed I now had a black jacket on, much too large. The sleeves went way past my hands and the bottom reached nearly to my knees. I assumed, just do to the size and the fact that no one else was around, that it was Embry's. "Come inside. You're going to get yourself sick." His warm hand was wrapped around mine, and the tips of my fingers stung from the cold air that hit them. I curled my hand tighter into Embry's, so that no skin was exposed to the rain. I was still shivering so much that it hurt. He tugged at my arm, trying to lead me to the house.

Despite my intense discomfort, I couldn't go in. I needed to stay where I felt close to my mom. I yanked my hand free from Embry, seeing the hurt and worry flash in his eyes. I felt a stab of guilt for that. "Evie, come on. Please. I can tell that you're upset, but please just come in with me." His voice was so sad and pleading and _hurt_ sounding, that I couldn't ignore him anymore. I turned to his and he took hold of my hand again. He was so _warm._

He led me inside. I followed him, my legs protesting from the sudden movement. I was shivering so forcefully that I was certain to be sore tomorrow. My teeth chattered, making quiet clicking noises. I felt like miles until we reached the door. Embry pulled it open, ushering me inside to the warmth of the house.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Embry_

I was sitting in the living room at Sam and Emily's not really listening to the many different conversations going on around me. As always since I'd met her, my mind was completely consumed with thoughts of Evie. I was worried about her, for obvious reasons. Whatever had happened to her before, the thing that was so traumatizing that she became mute and had mandatory therapy appointments once a week, had to be terribly horrible. It made me shake just thinking that _my_ Evie had to go through something like that and that it was still having a negative effect on her life.

Every second that I wasn't with her, every second that I couldn't see with my own eyes that she was alright, I felt sick with worry. What if she needed me? What if she was upset right now and I wasn't there to make her feel better? "Embry?" Leah's voice said from where she had been sitting silently beside me. Ever since what had happened between her, Sam, and Emily, she never really participated in conversations unless it related to pack business. She was as silent as a statue, save for a few biting comments.

I turned to her, still thinking of Evie. Which wasn't surprising to me, I always thought of her. "Yeah," I said, noticing that my voice sounded distant. I couldn't help it, whenever I wasn't with her I hurt. I physically hurt unless she was around to ease my pain.

"You should go see her. I know you want to and, trust me, you aren't missing much here." She said, smiling bitterly. Leah never looked happy when she smiled. With a pang of sadness, I realized that Leah's smile reminded me of the broken-looking one that Evie always had. Where Leah's was bitter, Evie's was devastated.

I shot her a smile of my own, thankful that she understood despite the fact that she didn't have an imprint of her own. I liked Leah, even though she was usually bitchy and rude. I understood, just like everyone else in the pack understood, exactly how she felt. It was hard to hate Leah for being the way that she was when I could see- and feel - everything that she went through with painful clarity every time we phased. I nodded in her direction, "Thank you." I meant it. I felt a wave of gratitude for my pack sister.

Then I got up and basically ran out the door. I had been so focused on thinking and worrying about Evie, that I hadn't even heard the storm that was raging. The rain hit my back and shoulders, soaking through my t-shirt and thin black jacket. I only wore the jacket to keep up appearances, I really didn't need it. I could tell that the rain was cold, but my skin was warm enough that it didn't bother me.

A loud clap of thunder boomed and echoed around me just as I arrived in front of Evie's house. There were no cars in the driveway, so David and Meagan weren't home. I started towards the front door, anxious to see my imprint, but out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure standing in the yard.

I turned and focused on the form, having to use my wolf sight in order to clearly see the person through the pounding rain. I knew immediately who it was. Evie. My Evie.

She was standing there with her back to me and the house, her paper-thin tank top and shorts clung to her skin showing off how terribly skinny she was. My stomach clenched in concern.

I ran to her, crossing the distance between us. When I was just behind her, close enough that I could press my hand against her back, I called her name. She didn't move and I wasn't sure that she had even heard me.

A blinding flash of lightning was closely followed by roaring thunder. Evie's small form was shivering violently, no doubt from the freezing rain that was hammering onto her. I took my jacket off, placing it over her. It draped over her, much too big for her body, though I doubt the wet material did much to help her.

I put my mouth right beside her ear and called her name again, louder than the last time. I grabbed her hand in mine; it pained me to feel how cold her skin was. "Come inside. You're going to get yourself sick." I said, not able to keep the urgency from my voice. There was a sharp pain in my chest at seeing my imprint like this. All I wanted was for her to be happy and healthy.

Raindrops ran down her pale face like tears and her blonde hair hung in limp wet clumps. She was shivering so much and her teeth were chattering. I pulled her gently, attempting to bring her inside the house so she could get warm and dry off. We didn't get very far before Evie yanked her small hand from mine and stood still. I couldn't help but feel hurt; it was almost as if she were rejecting me. My hand felt empty without hers tucked inside of it.

"Evie, come on. Please. I can tell that you're upset, but please just come in with me." I begged. I wanted her to be okay, I wanted her to be happy, and it was agonizing to be unable to make her feel better.

She was still for a few moments and then my heart swelled when she turned to face me. Her eyes were fed and puffy, like she'd been crying, and her face was much paler than usual. She was still shivering so much that it actually hurt me to see her like that. I took a hold of her hand again trying to warm her skin with mine. I pulled her again, leading her to the house. I had to be careful with her; she seemed so completely _vulnerable. _Like a fragile doll.

Once we were inside the house and out of the rain I could think more clearly. Evie was still shivering even though the inside the house was almost uncomfortably warm. I led the shivering girl to the nearest bathroom. Once we were inside, I pushed the plug in the bathtub down and turned the water as warm as it would go.

Then I went back to Evie, who was standing completely still and had a dazed expression on her face as if she didn't know what was going on. I pulled the zipper on the jacket she was wearing, disposing of the dripping thing onto the tile floor.

"Evie, I need you to take your wet clothes off and then get in the bath, okay? I'll be just outside so if you need me all you have to do it y-" I started to say yell, but then I remembered that she wouldn't speak. I couldn't just leave the room if she couldn't call for help if she needed me. "Well, I'll just turn around. If you need me just tap my shoulder, okay?" She nodded and I turned to face the door.

A few seconds later, I felt a cool hand on my back, tapping my skin softly. Worried that something was wrong, I spun around to face Evie. "What's wrong?"

She raised her arm, showing me her hand and then motioned towards her drenched tank top. "I don't understand." I said.

She made a frustrated face and then grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began pulling it up. Her fingers fumbled and looked heavy, as if they were too cold to function properly. She couldn't remove her shirt by herself. "You want help?" I asked, too worried for her to feel any embarrassment at the situation.

She nodded, biting her bottom lip. I stepped towards her and gripped the bottom of her white tank top, pulling it up and over her head, throwing it into the pile with the jacket. I was trying not to make her uncomfortable by staring at her body, but when I saw the long scar on her stomach I couldn't help but shake with anger. What happened? Did someone do that to my Evie?

Evie saw how upset I clearly was, and though she seemed confused as to _why_ I was angry she seemed to want to help. She put a hand on my chest, tracing cool circles on my skin. That was all it took for me to calm down.

"Do you need any more…help?" I asked, suddenly feeling awkward.

She held her hands out and bent her finger before wincing. She looked up at me then, her cheeks pink with embarrassment, and nodded.


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Embry_

I wrapped Evie in a fluffy white towel that had been hanging on a hook on the wall. Much to my dismay, Evie didn't visibly appear to be any less freezing then she had been when we'd come inside. When the towel was secured around her body so that she was completely covered, I unclasped the hook on the back of her bra before pulling it out from the top of the towel and throwing it into the growing pile of wet clothes on the floor.

My imprint kept her eyes studiously glued to the floor, her previously deathly pale cheeks now flaming a vibrant pink. I liked the pink hue better. Pink was healthier. I could understand why she was feeling so embarrassed, but the concern I felt for her heavily outweighed how uncomfortable the situation was. It wasn't that I didn't think of Evie…in that way, but I felt bad that she was so vulnerable and actually _needed_ me to do this for her. I could tell that she hated being so dependent on me like this.

When I'd finished undressing her, I turned away so that I was facing the opposite wall. I heard the water in the bathtub move around as she got in and turned the knob so that it stopped filling up.

A while later, I heard Evie step out of the water and I felt another tap on my shoulder, her skin still felt cool against mine but it didn't seem as if ice were touching me now. She was quickly returning to a more normal temperature. I turned to face her and smiled when I saw that her skin seemed closer to its natural shade. She had the towel wrapped around her body again and her hair was still wet, but I could smell a faint rose scent coming off of it now instead of it smelling like ocean water. "Do you feel better?" I asked. I wouldn't leave her until I was certain that she wouldn't break down as soon as I left the room.

Evie flashed me the smile that was eerily similar to Leah's and nodded. I looked at her for a few more moments, trying to assure myself that she was indeed fine. She was so beautiful. Her face was heart shaped and delicate looking, though her cheeks were slightly sunken in and her blue eyes always looked so haunted and sad. Her lips, which were set in an almost permanent frown, were pale pink and seemed so soft that I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to kiss her. I wanted to kiss her until she stopped frowning.

I shook those thoughts from my head. It wasn't right for me to think of Evie like that when she was so defenseless. When I finally cleared my thoughts, I noticed that Evie was looking at me as if I'd grown a second head. Her eyebrows were slightly raised and her head was tilted forward. I'd obviously zoned out and she had been trying to tell me something. "I'm sorry." I said.

She nodded before smiling slightly and pointed to the door. I laughed at the stern look she shot me. "I'll be just outside the door if you need me." I said before exiting the bathroom. The imaginary cord that connected me to her pulled taut as I stood outside the door. I rubbed at the skin over my heart, trying to lessen the discomfort I felt now that Evie was no longer in my sight.

I wondered what had made her so upset that she felt the need to stand barefoot in the freezing rain. It hurt me that she always felt so terrible yet she didn't feel like she could open up to me. I was aware that she hadn't known me very long, but she was already my whole life and I wanted our bond to go both ways. I wanted her to understand that I would do anything in my power to make her happy.

Leah had told me that I shouldn't take it personally, that Evie didn't talk to anyone, but she was my _imprint._ I wanted her to know that no matter what I would be there for her and that she could talk to me about why she was so upset.

I had felt like I had been making progress with her; I'd even managed to get one real-looking smile out of her before. But the apparent happiness only lasted a few moments before she would sink back into sadness. Her eyes, which always looked so sorrowful, often looked distant as if she were somewhere else completely. Off in her own world. A world without me. I wanted so badly to be a part of that world, so that she would never have to be alone again.

Soon, the door opened and Evie came out fully dressed in a sweatshirt and pajama bottoms. She wasn't shivering anymore and her eyes weren't nearly as red rimmed. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she looked tired, as if she could collapse at any moment and slip into a deep sleep. She needed her rest.

I stepped closer to her and enveloped her in an embrace, so relieved now that I was certain that she was in no imminent danger of freezing to death. Evie didn't wrap her arms around me and return the hug, but she relaxed into me and didn't push me off as she usually would. I took this as a positive sign. I would take what I could get.

It eased my mind, which had previously been whirling annoyingly fast, to know that my imprint, my Evie, was safe and that nothing could hurt her while I was holding her. The pain in my chest ceased as I pulled her to me and breathed in her familiar scent; vanilla and roses. I pressed my face into her still damp hair.

Too soon, we broke apart and I saw Evie flash me a small smile before walking past me and up the stairs. The memory of her standing in the rain shivering and crying, looking so broken, was still far too fresh in my mind for me to allow her to be out of my sight for even a second. I _needed_ to be near her to relieve myself of my paranoia for her safety and well-being.

I followed closely behind her, purposefully making soft noises with my feet as I walked so as not to startle her. When she stood outside of a closed door, she looked at me as if she'd just remembered that I was there, her blue eyes looking dazed and somewhat sad as always.

I step closer to her, wanting nothing more than to comfort her and make the sadness disappear from her beautiful face. I reached my hand out and she latched onto it as if it were a life line, the only thing keeping her from falling. I was thrilled to be that for her; her life line. I would hold onto her as long as she would let me. I would never let her fall.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

I held onto Embry's warm hand tightly, absently wondering if I was hurting him by squeezing it too much. He _did _seem to be in pain. His brown eyes looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed and a small frown on his lips. I figured that by clinging onto his hand that I must've been hurting him, or at least annoying him, so I let go.

I didn't want to. As soon as my hand hung limply again by my side I wanted to reach out and grab his hand in mine. I don't know why, but even though he wasn't standing more than two feet from me I wanted to be closer. I wanted to touch him so that I knew that he wouldn't leave, so I knew that he wouldn't disappear on me. I didn't want to be alone. I needed him.

My self control was quickly deteriorating. I was almost certain that I would once again latch onto Embry if I didn't get away from him soon. He must have been terribly annoyed with me. I was so needy. He literally had to help me undress because I was unable to do it for myself. My cheeks flamed as I remembered that. He must've been disgusted when he saw my scar. As soon as he saw it his whole body started trembling. It must have made him feel sick. I was ashamed of that scar. It was a symbol of all that had happened that night. My family lost their lives, and all I got was a scar. How was that fair to them?

Embry wouldn't want me as a friend. It was then that I realized that that was what I wanted. Almost more than anything else. More than anything save for having my family back. I wanted to be Embry's friend. I wanted to laugh with him and tell him things that I didn't tell anyone else. I wanted him to feel comfortable around me and I wanted to feel comfortable around him.

He wouldn't want a friend like me. I knew that. It hurt. I felt tears prick in my eyes, once again alerting me to their presence only a few seconds before they started their path down my face.

Embry's eyes widened and he looked worried. He always seemed that way around me. He knew that I was a tragedy. A walking disaster. He could never be friends with me. I was too needy. I cried all the time and often needed company though I brought nothing to the table. I wanted him to spend time with me despite the fact that being around me couldn't possibly be fun for him. It was selfish, really. He wasn't a babysitter and he shouldn't have to look after me all of the time.

Eventually, Embry would get sick of being so nice and he would leave. He would realize that I'm not worth his time and then I would be alone. I wished, not for the first time since the accident, that I could rewind time and go back to the normal teenage girl I used to be.

I felt sure that if Embry had known me before everything happened then he would've liked me. In that time, we would have been friends. I could have laughed with him, _talked_ with him. He wouldn't have to take care of me because then I was able to watch out for myself. Sure, I was more naive then and I saw the world through rose-colored glasses, but I was happy. Carefree.

He wouldn't think of me as some little girl who was too weak to be alone. Some little girl who was too broken to speak.

The tears kept spilling from my eyes. I needed my sister. She would tell me that Embry would be stupid if he didn't want to be friends with me. She'd comfort me like she had when I was thirteen and the cute boy in my math class told me that I was weird. Maddie was the expert on boys. She was my older and more experienced sister that I could go to for anything. Sure, we'd fought often as all sisters do. But I loved her and I knew that she loved me. I needed her to come back. I needed her. It was selfish of me to want her back, as it was my fault that she was gone. Maddie, along with our parents, had died because I screamed. They came to see what was wrong, because they loved and worried about me, and they died for it. They were punished for loving me. All I have to show for my life altering mistake was a scar. It isn't fair at all. Life isn't fair. It should have been me. I shouldn't still be here when my family couldn't be.

They did nothing wrong yet they took all the punishment. I was the one who should be dead. I was the one who screamed.

I knew I shouldn't be thinking these things. They were true though. It was all true. I pushed the thoughts from my head, knowing that if I lingered on them for too long that I wouldn't be able to go on. And I had to go on. That was the only option.

When my head was clear, I noticed that I was pressed into Embry's warm chest. One of his arms was wrapped securely around my waist and the other was draped over my shoulder, his hand running soothingly along my hair.

The tears had stopped. They were now dried on my cheeks, leaving only a memory of their warmth. I was cold. Even wrapped in Embry's abnormally warm embrace, I was freezing. My _skin_ was warm, but inside I was as cold as ice. As always. My heart was cold and ice ran through my veins.

I wasn't certain but I had a feeling that the permanent chill came from my guilt. I figured that it was a small form of punishment for what I'd done. Something I had to deal with, just like the nightmares.

I buried my face into Embry's chest, glad that he hadn't disappeared when I needed him. I always needed him. In the end, he would realize that he should leave. I hoped that that moment would come later rather than sooner. It was selfish, but I never wanted him to leave.

"Evie?" I heard him ask, his face now pressed into my hair.

I nodded a little, signaling that I heard him. "I know that you aren't ready, but I want you to know that I lo- like you a lot and I'll be here whenever you need me. I want you to be happy. You can tell me what happened if you want, I'll listen. I promise I'll never leave you." It was like he'd heard my unspoken fears and knew just what to say to make them evaporate.

At his words I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. I had so expected him to say that he was tired of dealing with all my weeping and emotions and that he never wanted to see me again. But he hadn't. _I'll never leave you._

It was then that I realized that I already _was _friends with Embry. Even though I never spoke to him, he considered me a friend. _Embry was my friend._

I smiled and got on my tippy toes, lifting my arms up and wrapped them around Embry's neck. He was my friend. He didn't think that I was some weak little girl he felt obligated to take care of. He liked me. I was his friend.

_Thank you,_ I said in my head. I wanted to say those words to him. It was the first time since the accident that I regretted my decision to stay silent. I wanted to tell Embry a million times how much he meant to me and how thankful I was for his company and his support. I was thankful for him.

But he was right, I wasn't ready yet. Someday I would tell him all those things. One day Embry would know that I loved him and that I was so glad to have him as a friend. One day I would tell him. _Soon._


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Evie_

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. As usual, the sheets and blankets I had piled around myself the night before lay on a heap in the floor. The white walls of my bedroom only intensified the coldness that I felt. Maybe if I painted the walls a warmer color then I wouldn't be so cold all of the time. I didn't hold out much hope for the idea, but I figured it was worth a shot if it kept me from shivering all of the time.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and winced as a sharp pain reverberated in my temples. I wasn't entirely certain, but I had an idea that my headache was from my many sleepless nights when I often ended up crying until I slipped into unconsciousness.

I slowly stood from the bed and maneuvered around the pile of blankets as I made my way to the bathroom. After showering and brushing my teeth, I peered at myself in the mirror above the sink. My skin was pale as always and my eyes were wide and scared looking. If I'm being honest with myself, I looked terrible. My cheeks, which had been full and rosy only a few months ago, were sunken in which made my eyes look too large for my face.

I looked down at my hands, not wanting to see how much I had changed in such a short period of time. I remember when my blonde hair used to be shiny and full-looking, whereas now it seemed dull and lifeless. My eyes used to always look so happy and now they were anything but. It was depressing, to me, to know that I would never be the same as I was before.

Never again would I be the happy, carefree girl who laughed at the most random things. I would never be normal. Normal was just a far off dream that I could hardly remember; a semblance of an idea that danced around the edges of my consciousness.

Just then, an intense wave of sadness washed over me. This sadness was different than the guilt and devastating regret I felt whenever I thought of my family and what I did to them. This sadness was entirely for me. It was a selfish kind of sadness that I felt because I knew that, even though it was my fault, my life would never go back to the way it was.

Then I felt bad for being upset over something so unimportant. Of course my life was forever changed. My whole family was dead and I was close to tears because I was focusing solely on myself. Maddie and my parents deserved better than me. I wasn't as good as they had been. I was a terrible, selfish person and it wasn't right that I was alive when they couldn't be.

_No, Evie. Don't think like that. You can't think like that. You are alive. They aren't. You can't change that so don't dwell on it._ I kept repeating that mantra over and over in my head until I was no longer thinking such depressing thoughts.

Of course, my melancholy mood never disappeared completely. I was never truly happy anymore. But I wasn't drowning in my depressing thoughts, which was all that I could hope for.

I sighed and left the bathroom and heading to my closet. I pulled off my pajamas and slipped on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. When I looked down and noticed the small, raised chill bumps on my arms I decided to pull an oversized sweatshirt over top. As predicted, it didn't help me much.

It was a bad day. Like with anything, there a good days and bad days. Or, in my case, bad days and worse days. To me, there was no such thing as a good day anymore. That day, was certainly a very bad day. I felt like even if I had to that I wouldn't be able to force a smile.

I needed Embry.

I wanted to be around him. He always seemed to put things into perspective for me and I didn't feel miserable close to him.

With yet another sigh, I remembered that I had no idea where he lived. There was no way that I could find him if I didn't know where he lived. Odds are, he didn't even want to be around me anyways. He _had_ stayed with me the night before until David and Meagan returned. Embry was probably sick of spending so much time with me. He needed his space.

Still, I wanted to see him.

I slipped on a pair of flip flops and headed out the door. Since I couldn't see Embry, I planned to wander around in hopes to clear the negative thoughts from spinning around within my head.

I looked across the hall to David and Meagan's room to see their sleeping forms under the blankets. My face scrunched up as the image before me reminded me of one of my recent nightmares. _No, Evie. That isn't the same thing. David and Meagan are fine, they aren't that man and they won't hurt you._

I tore my eyes away from their forms, forcing myself to stare intently at my feet instead. I took a step towards the stairs, then another, then another. Soon, I was at the bottom and it felt that it was safe to look up. I reached my hand out and twisted the doorknob as far as it would go before pulling the painted red door open.

Taking deep breaths to calm myself, I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. As usual in Forks, a depressing gray drizzle was coming down. It wasn't enough to drench me, but it was enough that I decided to pull the hood on my sweatshirt up over my head. I pulled the slightly too long sleeves down so that the covered my hands and then I stepped onto my driveway.

After that, my mind wandered. I could feel myself walking, but I didn't care to tell myself where to go. The top part of my feet which were left unprotected by my flip flops were covered in wet grass. Of course, this made me think of my dad. I wished he were here. If he would just come back I promise that I would never again complain about him waking me up at an ungodly hour with his lawn mower.

I just wanted him back. I wanted them all back.

_They are never coming back Evie, get over it._ Sometimes I truly hated that little voice in my head. Sometimes I hated myself. _You should hate yourself. You're a terrible person. Even your 'friend' Embry doesn't really like you._

I narrowed my eyes and demanded myself to focus on where I was going. I needed _something_ to focus on to ensure that I didn't think about topics I deemed forbidden. I broke away from my ever whirling thoughts and looked at my surroundings. Tall trees were everywhere, all of them covered in damp moss and mud. The ground underneath me was saturated with water, as it was rarely ever dry and the sun couldn't penetrate through the tree leaves overhead. My feet made loud squishing noise with every step I took.

I could tell that I was in the woods along the border of Forks and La Push. It wasn't a far walk from David and Meagan's house or the beach, it was right in between.

I kept walking farther in the woods, hoping that my attempts to stay out of the mud would hold my attention and keep me from thinking too much. That routine continued for a while until I heard footsteps behind me. They sounded heavy, but measured. Like a large predator stalking its prey.

You know that feeling you sometimes get in the middle of the night? Like someone's watching you but if you just pretend that it's nothing then it will go away? That's how I felt right then. I was almost certain that someone was following behind me, but I thought that if I didn't acknowledge that I knew they were there, then everything would be fine. Logically, it didn't make much sense but I never really have been logical.

I kept right on walking, now focusing on the footsteps instead of where I was going. After a while, I had to stop. I was tired and I figured that I should start heading back. I turned around and started walking in the other direction.

There was one tree in the middle of the makeshift path; I carefully watched my feet as I maneuvered around its thick base, bracing myself against the trunk so that I wouldn't slip into the mud. When I'd gotten to the other side, I allowed myself to look up. I kept my gaze locked straight ahead until I heard the footsteps again, this time only a little to my right instead of behind me.

My heart started hammering. _Calm down, it's probably just a deer or something. _With that thought in mind, I smiled to myself and darted my eyes to the place where the sound had come from.

My breath caught in my throat. What I saw before me was no deer.

It was a wolf. At least, it had wolf-like features. It had the shape of a wolf, only much bigger than I thought possible for a wolf to be. The thing had to be somewhere around eight foot. It looked at me with seemingly intelligent brown eyes. The fur was a silvery-gray color and looked a little longer than I thought it should be.

_You have officially lost it._

It had been a while since I'd been normal. But there was reason for me being the way I was. I heard whispered conversations from adults who claimed to want the best for me saying that I had snapped. That I had been through too much and it had made me crazy. Post traumatic stress, or something, they'd called it.

I'd always rolled my eyes and dismissed their words. Now, I was certain that they were right. Normal people don't see giant wolves. Normal people don't stand there and stare at imaginary creatures.

_I was officially insane._


	11. Chapter Ten

Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in forever! I didn't give up on this I promise. I just feel like my writing's gotten a lot better since I started this, so I rewrote all of the chapters up to this point. I haven't changed the plot any, so you don't have to go back a read the other chapters, but they're a lot better now so you might want to. Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think.

Chapter Ten

By: Bailey Michelle.

_Embry_

I ran my hand through Evie's hair, feeling the gentle wave the blonde locks held naturally. She was shaking. All over. Her small form was shuddering with an almost violent strength as she lay curled up on my lap with her head propped up on the arm of the couch. I didn't know if her trembling was caused due to her being cold or if she was that shaken up by what she'd seen in the woods. Either option seemed reasonable to me, as any sane person would be terrified beyond belief if they had seen an eight foot tall wolf staring at them.

We were in my living room, so this was the very first time my imprint had ever stepped foot inside of my house. Not the best circumstances for such an occasion, but I did feel a sense of satisfaction that she'd felt comfortable enough around me to feel safe at my home. And on top of that, my mom worked the late shift that night so Evie and I were completely alone. Not that we hadn't ever been alone before, but still that knowledge brought a smirk to my face.

Through the pack bond, I'd known instantly when Evie's blue eyes had caught sight of Leah. I'd seen clearly, as if I'd actually been there myself, how they widened in terror and she contemplated whether running or standing very, very still would be the best course of action. To me, it seemed as if her fear made the decision for her. It looked as if she'd been unable to move even if she had wanted to.

I'd run to her as quickly as I could from the opposite edge of the woods and phased before she could see me as well. Hurried and with my heart pounding so loudly I could hear each thump as it pumped blood through my veins, I pulled on a pair of shorts which had been conveniently stored in a bush and ran to Evie's side. I'd been so consumed with thoughts of my imprint; I hadn't noticed Leah's stealthy disappearance. She would be in so much trouble the next time I saw her. She let herself be seen by someone outside of the pack, my imprint no less, and scared the poor girl half to death. If Sam didn't do it, I'd teach her a lesson myself on how to better stay out of sight.

When I'd asked Evie, in the most soothing voice I could manage despite being thoroughly pissed off at Leah, if she wanted me to take her home, she'd shaken her head no. Then I'd asked if she wanted me to take her home with me for a while, so that I could explain some things to her. She'd hesitated, which had stung, before she nodded her consent. Then, I'd taken her cool, small hand in mine and lead her through a path in the woods that I knew well to my house.

We'd been in that same position on the couch for at least ten minutes by that point, and I had still yet to utter a word of explanation. I was plain to say that I had no idea how to go about telling my imprint about the furry little secret. All of the other guys in the pack who'd imprinted, which at that point was just Jared and Sam, had just let their imprints ask question and then they'd answer them as best as they could. For obvious reasons, that method wouldn't work to well for Evie and I. I knew she had to have tons of questions whirring around in her brain, but she refused to speak them aloud. Or maybe she couldn't. I didn't know _why_ she was always silent, but she was.

I had to do something, I knew, and I needed to do it quickly. Evie was scared and she would undoubtedly continue to be scared until I cleared the issue up. "Okay…" I started, unsure where I would go with it.

Evie looked up at me then, not bothering to move her head from where it rested on the arm rest. The angle that her neck was tilted at looked terribly uncomfortable. I moved a pillow from the other end of the couch and gently lifted Evie's head to place the pillow underneath her. I was stalling for time, I knew. I could tell by the pinched expression of Evie's face that she knew it too. "So, the wolf you saw…" I paused. This was really hard.

Evie nodded slowly, urging me to go on. "It was really big." God, could I have sounded any stupider? Of course it was big! That much was obvious. Evie nodded again, excusing my idiotic comment. "It was really big because it wasn't just a normal wolf."

"It was- The wolf was Leah."

Her blue eyes didn't make any sign that she'd heard what I'd said. I repeated myself.

There was a pause, neither of us saying or doing anything.

Evie just shook her head like she refused to believe me. I couldn't blame her. What I was telling her shouldn't be possible. But it was, unfortunately, very possible.

"Evie, I wouldn't lie to you. I'm telling you the truth, I promise."

She shook her head again, more forcefully this time. It wasn't that she didn't believe me exactly, it was more like she was going into denial. Like she refused to admit she'd ever even seen a wolf. This was going to be much more difficult than I had originally anticipated.

"You remember that wolf don't you? The big one with gray fur and brown eyes? You saw it in the woods not too long ago." I couldn't help but feel as if I were talking to a small child. She was just so small and vulnerable, mentally and physically fragile.

She bit down on her bottom lip so hard I was scared she would cause it to bleed. Then she nodded, carefully like she didn't really want to.

"You know wolves aren't naturally that big right?" Again, she reluctantly nodded.

"And you could tell when you looked into the wolf's eyes that it was more intelligent than any normal animal could be, couldn't you?" The pause this time was significantly longer, but in time she agreed with that statement too.

"It's because the wolf was Leah. She can turn into a wolf, like you saw. And she isn't the only one. I can too. And Sam, Jared, Jake, Paul, Quil, Seth. We all can. It's in our blood. We have the ability to change into wolves so that we can protect the tribe from vampires." I didn't get any sort of response that time. "I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me Evie. I need you to believe me. And I need to know that you aren't scared of me." My tone was desperate, almost pleading. I was begging her to give me the answer I greatly needed.

Evie gave one, small, jerky nod. That was all she could give me to ease my fears, but it was enough. She believed me.

"Can I show you?" Evie looked at me with her wide, doe-like eyes. No, doe-like wasn't a very accurate description. They were big, big but not quite like a doe. They more closely resembled the wide gaze of a baby owl. She looked at me with her with her wide owl eyes, telling me without words that she was scared. But not scared of me. She was curious and wanted to see me phase, but understandably she was scared to have the rug yanked out from beneath her feet. She was scared that the fact she'd believed for so long, that mythical creatures were just myths, was about to be proven wrong.

I carefully slid my arms underneath her tiny body and lifted her up with me as I stood from the couch. I pressed a soft but firm kiss to her temple and I hoped it was as comforting for her as it was for me. Then I carried her through my kitchen and out the back door, leading us into the woods.

With my long legs and deliberate stride, it didn't take long to reach a place far enough in the woods to be away from people. I sat Evie down on an overturned log and knelt down so my face was level with hers. I placed one hand firmly on her shoulder and used the other to brush the hair back from her face. "You okay?" She gave me a soft smile and nodded again.

Then I stood and hid behind a tree to remove my shorts. The stretching, pulling, and snapping I'd grown accustomed to wracked through my body as I shed my human skin and became a wolf. I really hoped that Evie wouldn't be terrified when she saw me. I stepped out from behind the tree, my paws making soft padding noises on the damp dirt of the ground as I walked slowly closer to my imprint.

Her soft pink lips made an 'o' of surprise when she caught sight of me. Oddly enough, she didn't look the slightest bit scared. If anything, she looked relieved. Like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

I contemplated if stepping closer to her was a good idea or if it would just frighten her. In the end, I didn't need to choose because she did it for me. She crossed the distance between us with ease and grace, threw her thin arms around my neck, and buried her face into my fur.


End file.
